A/N: This chapter contains some unpleasant violence.

Chapter Forty Seven: A Plan Coalesces

Voldemort found himself in a dark corridor. He also felt a bit tired, a bit weak; he walked slowly, as though preserving his strength.

But despite this strange feeling, that his body was slightly off, there was another feeling inside him: that of unadulterated glee. Something was waiting for him. Something that would change everything.

'She is just down here, my lord,' said a voice. Voldemort looked down and saw a short, stout figure in black robes. He felt a few more robed figures behind him and without looking, he knew who they were. Lucius Malfoy, his most useful servant of all. Helene Rosier. Rodolphus Lestrange.

'Very well, Jugson,' said Voldemort, in a high-pitched voice.

Jugson lead him to the end of a corridor that suddenly struck Voldemort as very familiar. He was sure he'd been here before.

Jugson paused in front of a closed door, and then opened it with a soft click. Voldemort passed through the door.

What met his eyes was, at first glance, a vision of triumph. She was there, her red hair was glinting even in the dim light of the windowless room, that was little better than a large broom closet.

In the next instant, Voldemort's eyes registered what he was seeing, and he felt a wave of fury overtake him. Ginny was pressed against the far wall, struggling with Theodore Nott, as his companion stood in the corner, smiling smugly beneath a Death Eater hood. Nott and his friend clearly weren't aware of Voldemort entering the room.

'Stop...' Ginny pleaded, as Nott's hand tore the front of her blouse and groped at her breast.

'Hold still, you stupid slag...' Nott grunted, holding her head still as he tried to kiss her, when he suddenly gave a cry of pain and backed away, with a bleeding lip. Nott then growled and backhanded her hard about the face, sending her sprawling to the floor.

Voldemort gave a growl of his own, tore his wand from his robes, and bellowed out a curse that sent Nott flying backwards. With a scream of pain, he crashed into the opposite wall and crumpled to the floor.

'You dare touch what belongs to me?' Voldemort roared, striding across the room to stand over Nott, who lay on his side, moaning in agony.

'Please...my lord...I'm sorry...'

'She is not to be touched!' Voldemort yelled, whirling about and staring down the Death Eaters. 'She is mine, and I alone will decide how she is dealt with!' He then turned on Nott's companion.

'You,' he said, 'I did not instruct you to bring her so that she could be a plaything for idiot teenagers.'

The Death Eater nodded and said, 'Forgive me, my lord.'

Voldemort's gaze settled on the girl with the red hair, Ginny Weasley. She was still on the floor, and she had backed up against the wall, her body tense as though she might flee, though there was nowhere for her to go. She feebly held her shredded blouse up to her chest.

Voldemort regarded her for a long moment and was displeased to see that she was covered in bruises and looked to be in no small amount of pain.

'She is damaged,' he snapped.

'She struggled,' said the Death Eater who had brought her. 'Quite actively. I had to restrain her.'

Voldemort scowled at the abductor, but then said to Lucius Malfoy, 'Heal her, and fix her clothing. I want her healthy before I break her.'

Malfoy nodded and proceeded to cast several spells over Ginny, who struggled weakly. Her blouse mended itself, and the scar on her forehead was nearly healed, when Voldemort held up a bony white hand.

'Leave it,' he said. 'A little reminder is always useful.'

Lucius smiled coldly.

'Get her up,' said Voldemort, 'and chain her.'

Lucius again obeyed, pulling Ginny roughly to her feet. He waved his wand and Ginny's wrists were yanked over her head, chains attaching her wrists to the wall.

Voldemort regarded her, and then shook his head. 'I'd rather prefer her a bit more uncomfortable.'

'Of course,' said Lucius, and he waved his wand again, and suddenly Ginny's chains were hanging from the ceiling, binding her wrists tightly and pulling at her arms so that she had to stand on tip-toe. She gave a whimper of pain when Lucius, at a gesture from Voldemort, yanked off her gag.

'That hurts, doesn't it?' said Voldemort.

Ginny leveled a brown gaze at Voldemort and said, 'Go to hell.'

Voldemort heard himself laugh, and the laughter of Death Eaters echoed in the room.

'You're more defiant than I remember,' he said. 'Or perhaps "remember" isn't the right word. I have no real memory of our time together with my old diary. I have only what Lucius told me. You were much more compliant back then.'

The red-haired girl said nothing, but continued to stare at him with unchecked loathing.

'You know why you're here, don't you?'

'I have some idea,' she snarled.

'You'll be obtaining a sword for me,' said Voldemort. 'And once you've done that, you'll help me kill Harry Potter.'

At this, she swallowed, and for the first time, looked genuinely fearful. But she held her chin up and said, 'And just why would I do that?'

Voldemort leered at her and pulled his wand from his crimson robes, leveling the tip at her breastbone.

'You have little choice in the matter,' he said. 'Now it is time for me to test you, little Weasley. Imperio

The spell struck Ginny and she gasped, and then her face went slack. She might have been in an open-eyed coma, except that her brown irises darted to Voldemort's skeletal white face and the red eyes as he leaned closer.

'I have you,' he whispered cruelly, holding her chin in his bone-white hand. 'You are mine completely, Empath. Look at me.'

She did; her eyes were tearful and full of hatred, but she was powerless to escape the pull of the curse upon her. Voldemort waved his wand at her wrists and her bonds disappeared, but she didn't lower her arms; she wouldn't until he told her to.

'Place your hands on my face, Empath,' Voldemort hissed. She lowered her hands and stretched them towards his bone-white face, slowly, and Voldemort saw that her hands shook. She was fighting him. He struck her with the spell a second time; she whimpered and her hands moved to his face.

He winced at the contact; her hands were surprisingly warm against his icy skin. He felt the stirrings of her power; she could not defeat the Imperius Curse, but her mind was still there, waiting for him to control. He put his wand away and reached up, clasping her hands tightly to his face with his own hands.

'Give me strength,' he ordered, keeping his eyes fixed on her. She began to cry in earnest as he suddenly felt her power flow into him, and his weakness flow out.

'Yes...' he whispered, feeling stronger as Ginny absorbed his sickness, the sickness of the blood inside him that left his mind and body weak. She began to tremble, and then her body arched as she cried out in agony. Voldemort hissed in unexpected pain and let go of her, and she crumpled to the floor, barely conscious. Voldemort was panting heavily. The Death Eaters were staring at him with wide eyes.

Voldemort felt stronger, but the pain inside him was stronger as well. He gazed down raptly at Ginny, who was lying on her side, still slack jawed from the Imperius Curse.

'Interesting,' said Voldemort, smiling smugly. 'Get her up,' he added, nodding at Lucius. Lucius pulled Ginny roughly to her feet.

'Look at me,' Voldemort ordered again. Ginny obeyed. Voldemort studied her for a moment, and then pointed his wand at her and muttered, 'Finite.'

Ginny blinked as the Imperius Curse lifted, and her eyes settled on Voldemort's.

'Legilimens,' he said, and suddenly memories were flooding his mind; a little girl of five falling and scraping her knee; at seven, burying her pet gerbil; at ten, waving goodbye tearfully to her brother at a train platform; at eleven, writing in a diary...killing chickens...being dragged into the Chamber one last time...

Ginny screamed and shut her eyes, but just before the connection was broken, another memory flew into Voldemort's mind: that of a beautiful sixteen year old girl wearing a white dress and descending a spiral staircase, and an eager black-haired boy with green eyes and glasses smiling up at her with love in his eyes...

'NO!' Voldemort screamed, and the connection was broken as Ginny fell to her knees, panting.

Voldemort backed away, breathing hard, his head pounding. She was stronger than he thought; her connection with Potter was stronger than he thought. He knew at once he could not break her in the way he'd initially planned.

His initial plan--torture, followed by forcing her to use her powers on him, plus the occasional invasion of Legilimency--would not be enough. He wasn't strong enough to break her on his own, and if she was as strong as he suspected, she had resources to resist the Death Eaters, even if some of them violated her as they so clearly wanted to.

It was that connection with the boy, and their happiness...that was the key. He must break it. He must drive her to the brink of despair...

He smiled. Of course. He had plenty of those available. They should weaken her considerably, and give him enough room to manipulate her mind as he needed.

'My lord?' said Lucius Malfoy anxiously, peering at him with his one good eye. Voldemort looked at the other Death Eaters and raised a hand.

'A small change of plan,' he said. He waved his wand at Ginny, and her wrists were at once in chains again, held high above her head, so that she stood painfully on tiptoe in the center of the room. He turned sharply to Helene Rosier.

'In exactly two hours, I want you to bring two Dementors to this room and let them keep Miss Weasley company,' said Voldemort coldly. 'Do make sure they don't accidentally Kiss her, of course.'

Helene Rosier's face stretched taut with fear; nobody liked to handle the Dementors, but she nodded.

Voldemort smiled to himself as he saw the Weasley brat's eyes widen in fear. Helene Rosier bowed and left the room. Then he turned to Lucius.

'Hurt her, but not too badly,' he said. 'You and Rodolphus can take it in turns if you like. Jugson, come along. I fear I've worked up an appetite.'

As Voldemort left the room, he turned in time to see Lucius fire a Cruciatus curse at the Weasley girl, who screamed bloody murder as she thrashed against her chains. He couldn't suppress a chuckle as her feet left the ground, and he swept out of the room with Jugson at his heels, Ginny's screams echoing down the corridor...

Harry...oh god...help me...it hurts...

Ginny! Where are you?

'Crucio!'

Harry screamed and sat up in bed like a shot, and at once the nausea punched him in the stomach.

'Potter!' he vaguely heard Madam Pomfrey shout, as he leaned over the side of his bed and vomited, missing the bedpan.

'Potter, lie down,' Madam Pomfrey ordered, sidestepping the pool of vomit by the bed and pressing on his shoulders.

'No...' Harry groaned, and it was then that he noticed his scar was on fire; he'd seen Ginny. He'd seen Nott try to rape her, and Voldemort force her to use her powers to help him, and Malfoy...Lucius Malfoy was torturing her with Cruciatus...

'Ginny,' he croaked, holding his head in his hands.

'Potter, you really must lie down,' said Pomfrey, and Harry noticed that her voice was unusually agitated.

He looked up at her and shook his head. 'I'm fine,' he lied. 'I...just had a bad dream...'

It was then that he realized he'd actually been asleep. 'I fell asleep?' he asked incredulously.

'No, dear, you passed out when your friends were carrying you in here,' said Pomfrey. 'You were pretty well banged up, but the injuries were mostly superficial.'

'How long have I been out?' Harry demanded, as he grabbed his glasses from the nightstand and put them on.

'A while,' said Pomfrey. 'But if you don't calm down I'm going to give you a sleeping potion--'

'Wait a minute,' said Harry sharply. 'What's going on?'

For as he looked about the hospital wing, he noticed suddenly that there was a long queue of younger students leading out of Pomfrey's office. Hermione stood at the head of the queue, ordering students to be quiet and keep still; Ron was hovering at the back, also calling for calm.

'One at a time!' Hermione yelled. 'You'll all have your turn soon, it'll be all right!'

'What is this?' said Harry. 'What's happening?'

'Harry!' said Hermione. She turned to Padma Patil and said, 'Take over for me, would you?' Padma nodded and Hermione hurried to Harry's bedside.

'Potter needs his rest,' Pomfrey protested.

'I need to be awake,' Harry retorted, pressing his hand to his scar. 'Hermione, tell me what's going on!'

'Harry, mate, are you okay?' said Ron anxiously as he hurried to the other side of Harry's bed; he'd left Ernie MacMillan to calm down a group of fourth years that was waiting outside Pomfrey's office.

'Oh, for heaven's sake, FINE!' Pomfrey shouted, and she shoved a glass at Harry. 'This is Pepper Up Potion, Potter. Drink all of it, and if you start bleeding internally or you keel over, then on your own head be it!'

Harry took the glass from her without arguing, and drank it down in one; he watched, steam pouring out of his ears, as Pomfrey marched over to another bed, where a familiar figure was sitting up and rocking back and forth on his haunches. He was flanked by Professors McGonagall and Hopkirk.

'Wormtail!' said Harry, and he started to stand up.

'Easy, mate,' said Ron, pushing him down successfully onto the bed. 'They're trying to de-curse him. He's been raving ever since they brought him in here; they think he's trying to fight off the Imperius Curse.'

'Okay,' said Harry. 'And what's with the line outside Pomfrey's office?'

'We're evacuating,' said Hermione urgently.

'What?!' said Harry, astonished. 'Why?'

'Well, the Forest is...sort of on fire at the moment,' said Ron, and he gestured out the window. Harry whipped his head around and his jaw dropped when he saw, in the distance the glow of flames licking at the tops of distant trees.

'The Forest is burning!' he said, whipping his head back around to look at Ron and Hermione in horror.

'Yes,' said Hermione grimly. 'Right after we brought you in here...giants attacked inside the Forest. McGonagall sent trolls and some Aurors in there--'

'And Hagrid's got some of his monster mates helping, too,' said Ron. 'Aragog and his million or so kids decided they didn't like giants trampling on their lair.'

'How do you know this?' Harry demanded, but then he noticed that Ron and Hermione were rather disheveled and their faces were smudged with soot.

'We went into the Forest,' said Ron, 'just to make sure there weren't any students in there. We didn't get to battle anything, though.' He sounded rather disappointed about this.

'So, between the time...the time Ginny got taken to now,' said Harry painfully, 'giants have attacked the Forest and set it on fire, Wormtail's in the process of being de-cursed and we're evacuating the students?'

'Through Pomfrey's fireplace, yeah,' said Hermione. 'They had to open up a secret Floo network at the last minute. McGonagall wouldn't even tell us where we're sending people; she just said a safe location.'

'How long have I been out?' Harry cried.

Ron grimaced. 'Several hours,' he said.

'Several hours?' Harry groaned. 'Do...have your parents found out about what happened?'

Ron nodded, a painful look on his face. 'Mum freaked,' he said grimly. 'They had to give her a sedative. She and Dad are still holed up in whatever secure location they're in, according to McGonagall.'

'Have you tried locating Ginny?' Harry asked hopefully.

'Yeah,' said Ron, but his expression didn't inspire confidence. 'Several times. I see her, but not where she is. She...well, she looks okay at the moment...'

Suddenly Harry's scar burned, and he remembered his dream. He pulled Ron and Hermione close and told them everything, feeling guilt twist at his gut as Ron's face went paler and paler.

'He made me watch,' said Harry. 'He let me get inside his head on purpose. Dammit!' he added angrily. 'Why didn't anyone wake me up sooner?'

'We couldn't,' said Hermione quickly. 'You passed out and...Pomfrey thinks whoever attacked you hit you with a Coma Curse. It didn't take work away because you had too much adrenaline in your body. Normally you would have been out for days--we were worried you might be, in fact--but, well, you're awake. Maybe the blood potion has made you stronger.'

At that moment, Harry remembered something. 'It had better, because I don't even have a wand anymore.'

Ron and Hermione exchanged looks. 'Yeah, we...well, we tried to see if there was any way to fix it but...once a wand's broken it's broken.'

'I don't believe this,' said Harry furiously. 'First I'm stupid enough to get ambushed and let whoever it was snatch Ginny, then my wand breaks, then I sleep for six hours...'

'Harry, this wasn't your fault,' said Hermione quickly. 'Look, we know most of what happened. Draco Malfoy told us. It was the real Malfoy Ginny went into the greenhouses with, but someone was lying in wait for them. Someone disguised as Draco. He knocked both of them out and then somehow got to you.'

'He got to me,' said Harry miserably, 'because I wasn't paying attention. "Draco" came out and said he had to use the loo, he'd be right back, and I stupidly believed him, and then I decided to check on Ginny and I stupidly turned my back when I looked inside the greenhouse, and when I saw her lying on the ground...he got me. I'm such an idiot!'

'Harry, blaming yourself isn't going to help,' Ron insisted.

'That's rich, coming from you!' Harry retorted.

'I didn't mean what I said,' said Ron, his voice breaking. 'I didn't! I panicked and I was being stupid. Dammit, Harry...this is hard enough without you wallowing in guilt, okay?'

Harry let out a heavy breath. 'I'm sorry,' he said finally. 'I just...he's hurting her now, Ron. Right now. He's going to mess with her head and use Dementors against her--'

'Dementors?' said Hermione, looking appalled.

'Yeah,' said Harry. 'She's an Empath, she'll feel it almost as bad as I do. And she can't fight the Imperius Curse, not really. That's an Empath's biggest weakness, and Voldemort knows it.'

'How could he have known she's an Empath?' said Hermione fretfully. 'From Rita? The imposter, whoever he is?'

'It doesn't matter,' said Harry. 'The fact is he knows, and he'll use it against her, and use her to get to me and get that sword. And now I don't even have a bloody wand. And, oh yeah, the Forest is on fire and we're evacuating the school.'

Hermione was about to say something when a very disheveled James Marchbanks jogged into the hospital wing; he called for McGonagall, who stood up and crossed quickly to him; Marchbanks muttered something to McGonagall, who then strode over to Ron and Hermione.

'Potter, you're awake,' McGonagall observed dryly. 'Mr. Weasley, Miss Granger...Marchbanks has just informed me the fire has been contained and the giants driven off or killed. I'll need you both to help with the clean up efforts; we can leave the evacuation process to the prefects.'

'But...wait...' said Harry weakly. Ron couldn't go clean up the damn forest, he ought to be meditating, trying to find Ginny...

'You need your rest, Potter,' said McGonagall sharply. 'And Mr. Weasley has already tried several times, as I'm sure he's told you. I share your concern for Miss Weasley, believe me, but if You-Know-Who did indeed take her for the reasons we suspect...we have some time to find her, is what I'm saying. Retrieving what he wants won't happen overnight.'

Harry and Ron exchanged worried looks; both knew that Voldemort would, indeed, keep Ginny alive, but that wouldn't stop him from hurting her, or letting his Death Eaters do the same. It appeared, at least as far as Harry could tell, that Voldemort wouldn't let the Death Eaters rape her, but that was hardly comforting, given that there were so many other ways to cause her pain.

'Come along,' said McGonagall firmly, to Ron and Hermione. They both nodded wearily.

'We'll be back as soon as we can,' said Hermione, and she gave Harry a quick peck on the cheek that Harry found, in spite of everything, to be oddly comforting.

'We'll work fast,' said Ron, and he shuddered slightly. Harry didn't have to guess why; there was a good chance Ron and Hermione might just bump into some of Aragog's offspring. They left the room with McGonagall and several banged-up looking Aurors. Harry closed his eyes as his scar began to prickle in earnest.

Ginny...I'm so sorry...

He fell back on the bed and covered his face with a hand.

He had to find her, and soon. But how? Legilimency? He dismissed this idea almost at once. Voldemort would have prepared for that contingency, and done all he could to block Harry from penetrating his mind. Beyond this was the possibility that Voldemort could even cause some damage to Harry with their mental connection, damage that Harry could not afford now, not if he was to face Voldemort any time soon. Not even the prospect of the blood potion gave Harry comfort--he needed all his strength and wits about him. He couldn't afford to risk Voldemort playing with his mind.

But without Legilimency, what could he do? He couldn't necessarily rely on Ron; good as Ron was at Seeing, his secret was out, and Voldemort had found some way to thwart Ron from locating Ginny, at least for the time being. Ron might be able to find her eventually, but that wasn't good enough for Harry. Ginny was being tortured now, her body and mind weakened so Voldemort could better control her and force her, somehow, to get the sword.

And then something else occurred to Harry: Voldemort's plans didn't include simply making Ginny get the sword. He would use her to try and kill Harry as well. And it was likely that he'd put her under the Imperius Curse to do it.

If Ginny's mind had been weakened by torture and exposure to Dementors, there was almost no chance at all she'd be able to resist the Imperius Curse. Voldemort would force her to attack him somehow. He would put Ginny between himself and Harry.

Harry sucked in a deep breath and shook his head as his scar prickled, and he saw how Voldemort wanted things to go down. By using Ginny as a shield, the dark wizard hoped that she would get caught in the crossfire, and that Harry, in the act of defending himself, would kill her. In so doing, Harry would destroy not only Ginny's life, but the connection they shared that was given life by her Empathic powers...

The connection they shared...

Harry sat up abruptly as he remembered something from his dream.

Ginny. He'd heard her voice. He'd felt her. She'd cried out to him in her pain, and he'd been able to call back to her, but he'd woken up before learning whether she could hear him.

Of course! That's why Voldemort wants to break my connection with her! It's the only way I can find her!

Harry seized on this glimmer of hope, but then a darker thought entered his mind. True, he might be able to connect with Ginny somehow, across the distance that separated them, but what if Ginny was too weak, or her mind too addled, to respond? She could be surrounded by Dementors now. How could Harry possibly hope to penetrate that fog of despair? Was the connection they had strong enough to bridge such a great distance? He didn't know; it had never occurred to him before to wonder about it.

I have nothing to lose by trying. I have to try.

He started to get up; he needed to get to his dorm room if he had a hope of doing this properly. But standing up brought a wave of dizziness crashing over him, and he fell back onto the bed, his scar throbbing. He tried again, with the same result.

Shit!

Easy, Potter. Breathe. Okay, you'll...you'll just have to try it here.

He grimaced and pulled the curtain around his bed shut; the measure of privacy was pitiable, but it could not be helped. He didn't want to waste any more time.

He lay back on the pillows and closed his eyes, willing his mind to empty itself of everything but Ginny...her brown eyes, her freckles, her red hair, the tiny scar on her chin that she said she'd gotten from falling off a broom when she was seven, her laughter, her skin...

Ginny?

Nothing.

Ginny! Where are you?

And then Harry felt pain, pain so all-encompassing he bit his lip to keep from crying out. For a moment, he wasn't sure where the pain was coming from. Was this Voldemort at work again? Harry's hand flew to his scar; it was burning, but something told him this pain was different. It was closer to him, more real...

Harry...

Harry gasped.

Ginny!

Help me...

Where are you?

It hurts...

I'm sorry! I'm so sorry! Ginny, can you tell me where you are?

Don't know...it's dark...

And suddenly Harry was seized with cold, as though ice had been poured into his veins.

No...no...

Ginny!

So cold...

Harry gasped as the cold grew worse; he heard Ginny whimpering, somewhere in his mind, and then she began to cry. She was slipping away from him, and he felt unchecked despair...despair that was hers, not his...

No!

She was gone. Harry opened his eyes and for a moment thought he might throw up again. The Dementors were guarding Ginny now, and it would be a miracle if he could get through to her again. The lingering effects of the Dementors presence clung to him, and he knew he would never be able to find her, knew she was lost forever to him...it was too much...he felt tears burn his eyes...

'Hold him still!'

The sound of Professor Hopkirk's voice shouting snapped Harry out of his miserable reverie. He sat up and pulled the curtain surrounding his bed aside, to see Hopkirk and an Auror he didn't recognize struggling to restrain a thrashing Wormtail.

'What's going on?' the Auror asked, as he held firmly onto Wormtail's arms.

'That last of the curses is coming off,' said Hopkirk, as she pressed her weight onto Wormtail's ankles, 'and he's having some kind of reaction.'

Harry got up slowly and crossed the room to Wormtail's bed. The closer he came to Wormtail, the more Harry's scar seemed to throb, but he ignored the pain. If Wormtail was indeed about to be freed from whatever curses he was under, Harry wanted to be witness to it. There had to be a reason Wormtail had emerged from the Forest barely ahead of a giant attack.

Wormtail's struggles subsided even as Harry's scar began to pound worse than ever.

'That's it,' said Hopkirk, in an eerily soothing voice as she leaned over Wormtail. 'Easy.' She looked up at the Auror. 'You can let him lie back.'

The Auror released Wormtail, who sank bank onto the mountain of pillows behind him.

Harry winced and pressed a hand to his scar.

'What are you doing here, Harry?' said Hopkirk sharply. 'You should be resting.'

'I want to talk to him,' said Harry, staring at Wormtail, who was blinking and staring up at the ceiling.

'I'm sure a lot of us do,' said Hopkirk, 'but given that I've just taken about ten major curses off him it might be a while before he can--'

'Harry...'

Harry's eyes widened as Wormtail looked directly at him. He was filthy; his face was a network of cuts and bruises; his already thinning hair had fallen out in great chunks; he looked emaciated. The skin above his silver hand was inflamed--it looked as if Madam Pomfrey had applied some kind of thick salve to it--and Harry vaguely saw the outlines of the Dark Mark on the skin of his left forearm.

'Harry,' Wormtail croaked again, and he began to tremble.

Harry swallowed, suddenly feeling a million emotions at once. This was the man who'd sold out his parents, who'd brought Voldemort back to power, who'd tried to kill Lupin. This was the man who'd slaughtered twelve innocent Muggles and framed Sirius for doing it. This was the man responsible for Sirius spending twelve years in Azkaban. This was the man who'd murdered Cedric Diggory. Harry felt the stirrings of hatred in his belly, but they were dulled by the sight of this pathetic, wasted man who looked like he might die at any moment.

Harry took a deep breath and moved to the right side of Wormtail's bed; Hopkirk nodded at the Auror, who made room. She then went to the left of Wormtail and sat down next to him, her wand in her left hand.

'What?' Harry asked, as he stood over Wormtail.

'Your parents...' Wormtail whispered. Harry's face curled into a scowl.

'Don't you talk to me about them,' he growled.

But Wormtail's eyes filled with tears. 'S-sorry,' he said. 'I'm s-sorry...for what I did...'

'Sorry?' Harry retorted. 'That's it? You're sorry? You sold them out and you think you can just say you're sorry and that makes everything okay--'

'No,' said Wormtail. 'N-nothing I s-say will take back...what I did...'

Harry fought to keep his breathing even.

'I...I just...n-need to tell you,' Wormtail went on, his voice sliding into a kind of wheeze, 'b-before...'

'Before what?' Harry asked, but Wormtail gave a pained inhale and arched his back, and Harry felt a sudden sharp pain in his scar. Wormtail moaned and pulled his left arm up to his chest.

'D-don't have much time,' Wormtail gasped. 'I brought him back, Harry...I killed that boy...I took your blood...'

'I know,' Harry snarled.

'Y-you don't...understand,' Wormtail wheezed, and his body began to tremble.

Harry exchanged looks with Hopkirk, who put a firm hand on Wormtail's shoulder.

'What don't I understand?' Harry asked.

'You...h-have to get him...' Wormtail gasped, 't-to the right place...'

'What's wrong with him?' said the Auror, as Wormtail began to convulse.

'Poppy!' Professor Hopkirk called.

'What do you mean?' Harry asked. Wormtail gave a cry and grabbed his left arm with his silver right hand. Harry hissed as his scar flared again.

'Potter, step back!' Madam Pomfrey ordered. 'I need to--'

'No!' Wormtail cried. 'It's...too late...you can't help me...'

He turned his left arm outward, revealing the Dark Mark; it was glowing sickly green and the lines of the Mark had begun to blister.

'Wormtail?' said Harry. 'What's wrong?'

'Poison...' Wormtail croaked. 'He...he p-poisoned my arm...in case I...I tried to t-tell you...'

'Tell me what?' said Harry desperately.

'G-get him...to the room...' Wormtail said, suddenly grabbing onto Harry's shirt. 'It's in the D-department...I worked there once...long ago...a s-secret...'

'What room?' Harry begged. Wormtail let out a huge breath and Harry's scar burned.

'Wormtail, stay with me!' Harry cried. 'What room?'

'Key...' Wormtail rasped. 'In m-my pocket...' His eyes darted down to the shabby jacket he wore; Harry reached into the pocket and extracted a small gold key.

'What door does this key open?' Harry asked.

'Harry, we need to get him some antidote!' Hopkirk urged.

'No!' said Wormtail, and as his body began to convulse harder, he spoke faster. 'Harry,' he said, 'I got out...fooled her...Dumbledore...when I was...in prison...said I could...I could redeem myself...told me to help him...to help you...this key...opens a door...it's the only way to get inside...I've read all about the room...it can destroy him...get him in there...G-ginny...'

Harry, who'd been trying to file away everything Wormtail was telling him, nearly forgot all of it to hear Ginny's name.

'What about Ginny?' Harry asked. 'Where is she?'

'B-Black house,' said Wormtail. 'They're going to...to...' His voice dissolved into a scream as the Mark on his arm began to sizzle.

'Help him!' Harry cried, shoving the key in his pocket and leaping back from the bed, but Wormtail grabbed Harry's wrist. Pomfrey moved forward with a flask of some thick liquid; the Auror tried to hold Wormtail down as Pomfrey attempted to pour the stuff down his throat, but Wormtail began to thrash so hard that the combined attempts of four people to hold him still quickly became useless.

'They'll t-take min...min...' Wormtail stammered. Harry watched in horror as his tongue began to swell. Wormtail coughed and struggled to breathe; Harry's scar was so painful now it was only the adrenaline surging through his body that kept him from passing out.

'Min...' Wormtail gasped. 'Min...attack...t-take control...no law...law enfor...'

His rodent-like eyes suddenly met Harry's; they were filled with fear and regret.

'S-sorry,' Wormtail managed. 'Sor--'

Harry gave a grunt of pain as Wormtail's body suddenly arched on the bed; Wormtail began to gasp for air.

'He can't breathe!' Pomfrey cried, and she took out her wand and began to throw spells on him.

'Harry!' Hopkirk cried, noticing Harry as he doubled over in pain, his scar screaming. Through the haze of pain Harry looked up to see Wormtail give one last, gasping thrash, his tongue blackened and hanging out of his mouth; then Harry felt the floor rush up to meet him, and all was darkness.

Harry found himself in a large room, surrounded by doors with bright, fiery X's. He knew he had to open one of those doors, but which one? He felt his feet moving, felt his hand slide into the pocket of his jeans and his fingers close around a key...

'Harry?'

He whirled around and nearly stumbled when he saw Ginny standing there.

'Harry?' she said again, her eyes blank. 'Harry...'

'Harry!'

'What?' Harry cried, sitting up sharply. At once he fell back onto some pillows, and it was then that he realized he was in his bed once more, still in the hospital wing.

He blinked and looked up to see Ron, Hermione, Professor McGonagall and Professor Hopkirk all standing over him, looking down at him with concerned eyes. Ron, Hermione and McGonagall all had leaves in their hair and smudges of dirt on their clothes.

'What happened?' he asked.

'You passed out,' said Hopkirk. 'Right when Pettigrew--'

'Wormtail!' said Harry suddenly, sitting up halfway. His scar was still prickling but the pain was far less than it had been. 'What happened to Wormtail?'

'Pettigrew's dead,' said McGonagall.

Harry gaped at her for a moment as he absorbed this news, and then he remembered all that had happened right before he'd blacked out.

'He was poisoned,' said Harry.

'Yes,' said Hopkirk, 'he was. The poison was inside a capsule implanted in the Dark Mark on his arm. It ruptured and the poison seeped into his bloodstream. Given what the poison was, it should have killed him faster but...I'm guessing Voldemort must have tricked it so that it would kill Pettigrew more slowly. It was clearly triggered to go off when Wormtail started trying to talk to you.'

'What was the poison?' Harry asked.

'Strychnine,' said McGonagall. 'Commonly used in rat poison.'

Ron snorted. 'Well, that's appropriate. Who knew Voldemort had a sense of humor?'

'My scar hurt...' Harry mumbled. 'Voldemort must have been happy about Wormtail dying, I guess...'

'That,' said Hopkirk, 'and the fact that Voldemort's own magical signature is found in every Dark Mark. When a Death Eater dies there's a kind of...magical leaching that happens. The magic inside a dying Dark Mark seeps out. That's probably partly why your scar hurt so much. A little bit of Voldemort came out of Pettigrew's scar and likely affected you.'

'Makes sense,' said Harry, and then suddenly something alarmed him. 'Tell me I wasn't passed out for hours this time?'

'About fifteen minutes,' said McGonagall grimly.

'Where is everyone?' Harry asked.

'The younger students have been moved to a secure location,' said McGonagall. 'The older students and the prefects are still helping in the Forest; Hagrid's directing the clean-up efforts. It's...well, it's quite a mess.'

Ron made a small noise in his throat that caught Harry's attention.

'Ron?'

Ron kept his eyes fixed on the floor. Hermione squeezed his upper arm, and looked sadly at Harry.

'Hagrid found a lot of dead centaurs,' she said tightly.

'Oh, no,' said Harry. 'Firenze...'

'Professor Firenze is currently missing,' said McGonagall. 'We were able to save the life of a centaur foal who said he last saw Firenze drawing a giant away from his family. He hasn't been seen since.'

Ron let out a breath and pursed his lips; he looked distinctly upset. Harry was just about to say something reassuring when he remembered Wormtail, and something he'd said...

'Ginny!' said Harry suddenly. 'I know where she is! Wormtail said she's at Black's house. Sirius's house!'

McGonagall didn't say a word; she simply stood up straighter, turned on her heel and marched purposefully to Madam Pomfrey's office.

Ron and Hermione moved closer to Harry's bed.

'Are you sure, about Ginny?' said Ron hopefully.

'I'm positive,' said Harry. 'I mean, that's what Wormtail said. I don't think he was lying, either. I...'

He suddenly felt the realization hit him, like a ton of bricks.

'Dumbledore was right,' said Harry. 'He said...I'd be glad to have let Wormtail go that time...and Dumbledore was right...maybe we can get Ginny back...'

The click of McGonagall's shoes on the stone floor made Harry look up; she crossed the room to his bedside.

'I've sent a message to Madam Bones,' she said. 'They'll send two teams of Aurors straight away, but it might take a little time.'

'Why?' said Ron.

McGonagall let out a sigh. 'There were more attacks. In Diagon Alley. The Leaky Cauldron was burned out and...several other shops destroyed. And a few attacks in some Muggle villages outside Kent.'

'Damn,' Ron muttered. 'I'm not seeing any of this stuff...'

'Distractions,' said Hermione. 'To throw you and everyone else off.'

'Exactly,' said McGonagall. 'I fear we're in for more of this. Attacks by non-humans always seem to create more chaos and the effort required to clean up after them...'

'Merlin,' Harry groaned. 'A lot of people were hurt, weren't they?'

'Yes,' said McGonagall heavily. 'And several deaths as well, I'm afraid.'

'Voldemort must be using every creature he has at his disposal,' said Hopkirk, and then she paused and looked contemplative.

'Minerva, did Madam Bones mention any Death Eaters in the attacks on Diagon Alley?' she asked.

'No,' said McGonagall. 'In fact, she specifically said the attacks didn't involve Death Eaters.'

'Two attacks on the same night, one in the Forest here, and one in Diagon Alley, using non-humans,' said Hopkirk. 'I wonder why no Death Eaters were involved.'

For a moment everyone paused to consider, when Ron's eyes suddenly widened.

'Shit,' he said. 'Of course! It's so simple. The Ministry!'

'What?' said McGonagall.

'The Ministry!' Ron repeated. 'Professor, you said these attacks were distractions. Don't you see? Voldemort's using his dark creatures to draw Aurors and Ministry staff away from the Ministry. He's holding his Death Eaters in reserve so they can go in and--'

'--take over the building,' Hopkirk finished. 'Where was Madam Bones when you spoke with her?'

'At her home,' said McGonagall. 'I caught her just as she was about to leave for Kent, to supervise the clean up.'

'No one's in the Ministry on the weekends,' said Harry, sitting up straighter. 'It'd be easier to get in!' He started to say something else but he felt a sudden buzzing in his brain, as if he were on the brink of discovering something important.

'Even with wards?' said Hermione.

'Wards are breakable,' said McGonagall grimly. 'I'd better get another message to Amelia.'

She was just walking back to Pomfrey's office when Harry bolted out of bed. Everything that Wormtail said came roaring back to him, that and the dream of doors, and suddenly, it made perfect sense.

'Wait!' he called.

McGonagall stopped and turned.

'What is it, Potter?'

'Don't call Madam Bones,' said Harry. 'I have to go to the Ministry.'

'Harry...' said Hermione. Suddenly Harry's scar flared yet again, and he felt a hideous surge of glee that didn't belong to him. A flash of light, and for the briefest moment, Harry saw Ginny being carried down a corridor...

'Harry?' said Hopkirk.

'It's him,' said Harry, wincing. 'He's in. He's inside the Ministry. They've still got Ginny.'

'Oh, dear god...' McGonagall whispered.

'Wormtail,' said Harry. 'He told me right before he died. He kept saying "min"--Ministry! That Voldemort was going to take the Ministry.'

'Yes, we've just established that, Potter,' said McGonagall. 'Now if you don't mind--'

'No!' Harry protested. 'You can't tell Madam Bones yet!'

'And why not?' said McGonagall irritably. 'He's inside the Ministry, Potter! Surely you don't expect me to stand silent when--'

'If Madam Bones sends Aurors to the Ministry, Voldemort will kill Ginny, and anyone else who happens to be inside the building,' said Harry.

'Are you actually suggesting I allow him to take over the Ministry building?' said McGonagall, flabbergasted.

'That's exactly what I'm suggesting,' said Harry.

'Harry, that's crazy!' said Hermione.

'No, it's not,' said Harry. 'This is it. Do you get it? This is it. Dumbledore told me right before he died that I have everything I need. Well, he was right. I do, right now.'

'What do you mean?' said Hermione.

'This,' said Harry, and he reached into the pocket of his jeans and took out the gold key. 'It's a key. Wormtail had it. I don't know how he got it, but it opens a door in the Ministry.'

'A door?' said Hermione. 'How do you know which one?'

'Because I've already seen it,' said Harry. 'That night, in fifth year, the Department of Mysteries. We opened every door in that place...except for one.'

Hermione gasped. 'You think...this key will open the door?'

'Yeah,' said Harry.

'But...what's so important about that room?' said Ron.

'Dumbledore told me about this room,' said Harry. 'One that's kept locked all the time. He said...it had a power inside, more powerful than death, and more mysterious than anything. He said that's the power I have. We've spent the whole year trying to figure out the magic behind my mum's sacrifice, how it marked me. We know Voldemort can't stand love. That's what's in that room! That's what I supposedly have that can beat him! Wormtail told me to lure him into that room...this key could open the door...'

He paused. 'Dumbledore,' he said. 'Dumbledore must have given Wormtail the key. That's what Wormtail meant. Dumbledore tried to help Wormtail redeem himself...' Harry broke off, and suddenly felt terribly sad. 'Voldemort didn't let Wormtail go. Wormtail escaped. He...he fooled or tricked a Death Eater--he said he'd "fooled her"-- maybe he managed to get ahold of a wand and cast a spell on her...but he got away and came to Hogwarts to find me...he's given me a way to destroy Voldemort...'

'Whoa,' said Ron. 'Er, Harry...are you sure you can trust...what Wormtail said?'

Harry looked at Ron for a long moment. 'I don't have a choice,' he said. 'I have to go there. Now. I can stop this today. I can end this.'

'Wait,' said Hermione. 'You're saying that all you have to do to beat Voldemort is lure him into this...this love room? How do you expect to do that?'

'I don't know,' said Harry. 'I haven't figured that out yet. I just know that's what I need to do. If you send a warning to Madam Bones, Professor, I won't be able to do that. I won't be able to get inside without him killing a lot of innocent people, including Ginny. And maybe I'm being selfish, but I can't lose her. None of us can.' He looked at Ron, who pursed his lips again.

For a moment, nobody said anything. Finally, McGonagall sighed.

'You win, Potter,' she said. 'I must be mad to agree to this.'

'Hang on,' said Ron. 'If we're going to do this, let's do this right.'

'What do you mean?' said Harry.

'Look, Harry, maybe it's your destiny or whatever to face down Voldemort on your own, but you can't go in there by yourself,' said Ron. 'Just because Voldemort's got it out for you doesn't mean he won't let his toadies take a shot at you. You need back up.'

'Back up?' said Harry. 'Ron, none of us knows how many Death Eaters are in there, or where in the building they might be. And no way is Voldemort going to let one of his Death Eaters take me out. He's waited too long to get me himself, and anyway, I know what he's going to try to do. He's going to try and use Ginny against me.'

'How?' said Hermione.

'Empathy,' said Harry. 'I wasn't able to tell you before but...I heard Ginny. I felt her. She was in a lot of pain because they're torturing her, but--'

'Are you saying you felt an Empathic connection to Ginny from miles away?' said Hopkirk, looking astonished.

'Yes,' said Harry. 'Voldemort wants to destroy that. He's going to try and force Ginny to kill me, so that I'll kill her. And if that happens...he'll be able to kill me. I know it.'

'Sick bastard,' Ron growled.

'I have to go,' said Harry urgently. 'I have to.'

'Harry, you're not going there by yourself,' Ron insisted. 'Okay, so Voldemort doesn't let other Death Eaters kill you; he might still let them hurt you a lot so you go in wounded. You don't even have a bloody wand, for Merlin's sake!'

'He can use mine,' said Hopkirk.

'Wait, Professor, you can't be serious about letting him go by himself,' said Ron.

'Griselda, really, this isn't--'

'He won't be alone,' said Hopkirk. 'He'll have back up. Myself, Mr. Weasley, Miss Granger...and anyone else who wishes to come along. And we won't exactly be going in the front door, so it's not as if Voldemort necessarily needs to be aware we're all there.'

'There's another way inside the Ministry?' Harry asked.

'There are multiple ways inside and out, of course,' said Hopkirk, exchanging looks with McGonagall. 'I happen to know them all.'

'You're joking,' said Harry.

'I'm afraid not,' said Hopkirk. 'You forget the nature of your mother's work, Harry, and my dealings with her. I couldn't exactly move in and out of there without taking a lot of precautions.'

'Does anyone else know about these passages?' said Hermione.

'The Aurors know, I imagine,' said Hopkirk. 'But I didn't find out from them. I found out from James Potter, who if I recall was an Auror trainee. He seems to have quite the knack for knowing where secret passages are.' She smiled enigmatically.

Harry gaped at her. 'Did he make a map?' Somehow the idea of a second magical map seemed too good to be true.

'No,' said Hopkirk, 'I'm afraid not. But he told me, and I have a very good memory. I do have a complete schematic of the building, however. Severus stored some of his Order papers in my office and this was among them.'

'Let's have a look, then,' said Ron eagerly. 'Maybe I can even try and See where they're holed up, give us a bit of an idea where we can move in on them.'

'You're all acting like I am going to allow this!' said McGonagall angrily.

'Professor, please,' said Harry. 'I have to end this now. You know it. I can't hide from him anymore. It's now or never.'

She paused, looking very conflicted. Her normally stern eyes reddened.

'Oh, all right!' she said finally. 'Griselda...'

'I'll take charge of them,' said Hopkirk. 'But maybe we should see if we have any available Aurors to go with us...'

'Fine,' said McGonagall tightly. 'I'll do that. And I'll get Filius to go along, he's always been handy in...in this sort of situation.' She let out a frustrated breath. 'Is that all you need?'

'I think so,' said Hopkirk. 'If you could send everyone to my office, Minerva...'

'I will,' said McGonagall, looking distinctly put out and resigned all at once as she marched out of the hospital wing.

Harry watched her go, and felt his heart pound.

This is it. I'm going to face him down, and after it's over one of us, at least, is going to be dead.

'Let's go to my office and take a look at that schematic, shall we?' said Hopkirk.

Ron and Hermione nodded at Harry, and they started to follow Hopkirk out of the hospital wing. They had just gone through the doors when they came face to face with none other than Draco Malfoy. His face bore the faint traces of cuts and bruises and he looked pale and tired, but there was a determination glittering in his eyes that Harry had never seen before.

'Malfoy?' said Ron, looking confused and a bit annoyed. 'What are you doing?'

'Going to Professor Hopkirk's office,' said Draco firmly. 'Whatever you've got planned, I want in.'

A/N: Thanks again to lina and Buckbeaky! The plot device surrounding Harry and Ginny's Empathic connection is somewhat similar to a plot device in Ann Margaret's story Hermione Granger and the Beginning of the End, but this is purely coincidence, as I planned out Harry and Ginny's plotline from the first, before reading Ann's stories.